Tamperproof container closure



G. L. KITTERMAN TAMPERPROOF CONTAINER CLOSURE Feb. 23, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed D90. 31, 1962 I BY WW/m ATTORNEYS Feb. 23, 1965 s. L. KITTERMAN TAMPERPROOF CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Dec. 31, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 642V. MITEQMAN ATTORNEYS Feb. 23, 1965 s. KITTERMAN 3,170,603

TAMPERPROOF CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Dec. 31, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENT OR. 6.42) L Erma/-14 United States Patent arr/eases TAMPERPROOF CGNTAINER CLGSURE Gary L. Kitterman, Kansas City, Kans. (6106 Wilson Ave, Kansas City, Mo.) Filed Dec. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 248,423 3 Claims. '(Ql. 222-182) This invention relates to containers and caps or closures therefor, and more particularly to such a structure wherein the cap or closure will indicate any tampering and is broken for access for discharge of the containers contents.

The principal objects of the present invention a e to provide a container closure structure adapted to be molded in one piece and having a portion adapted for substantially non-removable attachment to a container with an upwardly extending portion having a fracture line extending therearound that will break in response to pressureor impact on said upwardly extending portion; to prov de such a closure structure adapted to provide a visible indication of any tampering so that the absence of such indication assures a purchaser that the contents are intact and unadulterated; to provide such a structure wherein the closure for the container will prevent the contents from being dispensed until the closure portion is fractured on the fracture line; to provide a closure structure with a skirt engaging a container in substantially nonremovable relation and having an inwardly extending wall terminating in a dome pontion covering the dispensing end of the container with a frangible line in said inwardly extending wall and substantially encircling the dome portion whereby impact or pressure on the dome portion will cause fracture on the frangible line to permit removal of the dome portion from the container covering position; to provide such a closure structure wherein the frangible line has radially offset portions which upon fracture forms cooperating members on the dome portion and skirt portion which are engageable on replacement of said dome portion for securing same in closing relationship; to provide such a structure wherein the cooperating members are spaced lugs with the lugs on the dome movable between lugs on the skirt and engageable between said skirt lugs and the container on relative rotation of the dome and skirt portions; and to provide a container closure that is economical to manufacture, that is easily opened from impact or pressure on a break-out portion thereof to permit dispensing of the contents of the container and also provide immediately visible ev1- dence of any tampering.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the. following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a container with a closure thereon embodying the features of the present invention. 7

FIG.,2 is a vertical sectional view through the closure applied to a container shown in side elevation.

FIG. 3 is a sectional View similar to FIG. 2 with the closure after fracturing.

FIG. 4 is a disassembled perspective view of the container and closure with the closure dome separated by fracture and removed for access to the dispensing end of the container.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view through a modified form of closure applied to a container shown in side elevation.

' FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5 with the closure after fracture.

FIG, 7 is a perspective view of the container and closure with the dome portion of the closure after fracture and swung to expose the dispensing end of the container.

3,l7,@3 Patented Feh. 23, 1965 FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of a further modified form of closure with'portions broken away to illustrate the connection thereof to the container neck.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial sectional view through the interlocking portions of the closure and container neck taken on the line 9-9, FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a top view of a further modified form for replaceable locking of the closure dome.

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view through the. closure shown in FIG. 10 applied to a container shown in side elevation.

FIG; 12 is a perspective view of the container and closure of FIG. 10 with the closure dome in separated spaced relation.

FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional view through the closure and container with the closure'dome secured in closing position.

PEG. 14 is a sectional view through the skirt and dome portion on the line l i-14, PEG. 13, showing the inclined engaging surfaces.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 generally designates a corn tainer closure having a depending collar or skirt 2 adapted to be secured in encircling relation to a neck or dispensing end portion 3 of a container 4- in substantially nonremovable' relation thereto. in the structure illustrated, the closure 1 has a dome portion 6 that includes a top wall '7 and frusto-conical sides 8 that are preferably ribbed as at 9 for increased rigidity of said dome portion. At the lower extrenn'ties of the dome portion, there is an outwardly and preferably downwardly inclined wall ll) which terminates in the depending skirt 2 which has a wall ll that defines a hollow interior slightly smaller than the portion of the container to be received therein to provide a resilient tight engagement therewith.

In the structure illustrated, the container, at the dispensing end, has a neck 12 with an annular portion thereon in the form of a rolled portion 13 or bead that provides a shoulder 14 on the under side thereof. The closure has a portion adapted to engage the container in substantially non-removable relation thereto and, in the illustrated structure, the lower end of the skirt wall ll. has an annular inwardly extending lip 15 adapted to engage under the shoulder 14. The closure structure is preferably molded in one piece of suitable synthetic resin, as for example a vinyl plastic, polypropylene or the like that has some resiliency but also being capable of being fractured under impact, as later described. it is preferable that the plastic used for molding of the closure be such that it can be made by injection molding and that will have adequate strength even though the walls of the dome and wall and skirt 11 form a thin shell.

The closure has a predeterminedweakened line or Zone or frangible portion to define a predetermined fracture line 16 preferably between the skirt and the dome portion, with the line of frangibility preferably substantially encircling the lower portion of the dome. In the structure illustrated, an internal groove 17 is in thewall it adjacent the lower end of the dome in encircling relation thereto. The groove 17 is preferably V-shape in cross section and provides a thin wall portion 18 between the apex 19 of the groove and the outer surface 26 of the wall id.

The closure structure, as described, has many uses and is adapted to be placed on various containers; however, in the illustrated structure, the container 4 is of the type commonly used for pressure spraying wherein the container has liquid and a pressure medium therein. In such containers, there is a spray valve with a spray head 21 thereon. In the use of the closure for such a container, the bottom opening 22 of the closure defined by the lip 15 is placed on the bead l3 and then pressure is supplied to the wall 16 adjacent theskirt 2 to force the lateral pressure on the dome 6, as for example in pres- ,sure applied thereto in attempts to force the closure from the container, will etfect a fracture along the line of frangibility 16 and thereby provide visible evidence of tampering so thatany efforts to have unauthorized access to the contents of the container is prevented by the closure that forms an effective seal for the container. When it isdesired to use the contents of the container,

. the closure is struck on the upper wall 7 with a light blow that applies a downward force on the line of frangibility 16 that fractures the closure on said line whereby the dome portion 6 will pass downwardly into a position as illustrated in FIG. 3. Then the dome portion 6 can be removed to provide access to the spray head 21 for spraying of the contents from the container 4. After a desired portion of the contents of the container have been used, the dome portion 6 may be placed back in the positionillustrated in FIG. 3 whereby said dome provides a loose protective cover over the spray head during periods of non-use.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. to 7 inclusive, the closure 25 is substantially the same as that of the closure illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive except that the frangible line 26 formed by aninternal groove 27 does not completely encircle the dome portion 28. The groove27 terminates in spaced ends 291 whereby the portion 36 between the ends of the groove forms a connecting member when the closure is fractured on the line offrangibility 26. This structure also has the characteristic that when pressure or impact is applied to the closure in attempts to remove same from the container, the closure will fracture on the lineof frangibility 26 and provide a visible indication of tampering. When it is desired to use the contents of the container, pressure or impact applied to the upper portion of the dome 28 will cause fracture of the closure on the line of frangibil' ity and result in the dome portion being moved downwardly substantially'to a position as illustrated in FIG. 6. The portion 3t) between the ends of the groove remains unfractured. Then, to expose the spray head 21 .for use of the contents of the container 4, the dome por .the neck portion of a container in substantially nonremovable relation thereto and, while the structure of the skirt 2 and lip and its engagement with the head 13 and shoulder 14 are the same as illustrated and described relative to the structure shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, it is intended that this be exemplary only and that it may be modified to adapt the connection to the particular form of the neck of a container to provide a substanrtially non-removable connection. i

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 8 and '9, there is illustrated one form of modified connection of a closure 31 with a neck 32 of a container. In the structure illustrated, the container is in the form of a bottle or the like having external threads 33 at the dispensing end thereof, and the closure 31 has a dome 34 with a top wall 35 and side walls 36. The closure includes a skirt 37 having internal threads 3% adapted to be screwed on a 4; they external threads'SS on the neck 32. The skirt has an inwardly extending portion 3? adapted to overlie the upper surface 49 of the neck 32. Said skirt hasa further inwardly and preferably upwardly inclined wall 41 which merges into the lower end of the side walls 36 of the dome 34. A line of frangibility 42 preferably'extends around in encircling relation to the lower portion of the dome as by a groove 43 providing the weakened thin wall section whereby the dome can be fractured from the closure by impact or pressure applied to the dome portion. The container and the cl0sure'31 have interengagingportions to forman interlock whereby when applied to the container the closure member is substantially nonremovable therefrom. In the structure illustrated, the upper surface of the neck 32 has a plurality of upstanding teeth 44 defined by substantially vertical faces 45 and inclined faces 46,'the inclined faces being in the direction in which the closure would be rotated relative to the neck in screwing the closure on said neck. The

portion 39 of the skirt has corresponding opposed teeth 57 and the resiliency of the material of the closure is such that when the closure is screwed on the neck the bility to provide access to the dispensing end of the containcr neck, the bore 43 of which may be suitably arranged with a removable closure 49. It is to be understood that the interlocking teeth or portions on the closure and the cooperating portions on the container may have Inodifications as to shape and location to provide the substantially non-removable relationship of the closure and container.

In the form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 14 inclusive, the closure Stl has a collar or skirt 51 adapted to be secured in encircling relation to a neck or dispensing end portion 3 of a container 4 in substantially non-removable relation thereto, said skirt having an annular inwardly extending lip 52 adapted to engage under the shoulder 14 of the rolled portion or bead 13 of the container 4. The closure structure is preferably molded in one piece of suitable synthetic resin, as for example vinyl plastic, polypropylene. or the like that has some resilience but also being capable of being fractured under impact.

In the structure illustrated, the closure 56 has a dome portion 53 that includes a top wall 54 and frusto-conical sides 55 and, at the lower extremities of the dome portion, there is an outwardly and preferably downwardly inclined wall portion 56 that terminates in the depending skirt Sll.v

The closure has a predetermined weakened line or frangible portion 57 in the inclined wall portion 56 to define a predetermined fracture line between the skirt and dome portion with the line of frangibility preferably generally encircling the lower portion of the dome. The weakened or fracture line 57 is formed by a groove or otherwise arranged to provide a thin section therealong and has a plurality of circumferentially spaced portions 58 preferably adjacent the inner surface 59 of the upper portion'of the skirt wall- 60, the circumfereninner face 64 that extends substantially vertically downwardly from the respective fracture line portions 61 and terminates in an under face 65 spaced upwardly from the container. rolled portion or head 1 3 whereby radially outwardly. extending. lug portions 67 onthe dome portion, said lug. portions 67. being defined by the fracture line portions 58 and 62.

The closure structure as described is adapted to be placed on various containers and, in use, the closure is placed on the bead 13 of the container and then pressure is applied to the skirt to force the skirt downwardly over the bead 13 until the lip 52 passes under the shoulder 14 wherein the resiliency of the skirt provides a tight encircling engagement of the bead and retains the lip 52 under the shoulder 14 making it substantially impossible to remove the closure even by prying. With such a structure, lateral pressure on the dome 53 or downward pressure thereon will effect a fracture along the line of frangibility 57 and thereby provide visible evidence of tampering so that any efforts to have unauthorized access to the contents of the container is prevented by the closure.

When it is desired to use the contents of the container, the closure is struck on the top wall 54 with a light blow that applies a downward force on the line of frangibility 57 that fractures the closure on said line whereby the lower portion ofthe dome will move downwardly into the skirt. Then the dome portion 53 may be lifted to separate same from the skirt portion so as to provide access to the contents of the container. After a desired portion of the contents of the container has been used, the dome portion may be replaced in closing position by arranging it over the skirt portion with the lugs 67 aligned with the spacers between the lug-forming portions 66 in the skirt, and then the dome portion is moved downwardly whereby the lower ends of the lug portions 67 will engage the bead 13 of the container, and, then by rotation of. the dome portion to move the lugs 67 under the inclined face 65 of the lugs 66 of the skirt, the lug 67 will engage said inclined portion in tightened relation to retain the dome portion in closing position.

When it is again desired to use some of the contents of the container, the'dome portion is rotated in a reverse direction to the direction of application so as to move the lugs 67 from under the faces 65 and into alignment with the spaces between the lug-forming portions of the skirt, and then the dome portion can be removed to provide access to the contents of the container.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described certain forms of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination,

(a) a container having a dispensing end,

(b) a cap on said container,

(c) said cap being of frangible material and having a collar portion in encircling relation to said dispensing end, 7 (d) means on said cap collar and said dispensing end I of the container retaining said cap in substantially non-removable closing relation to said dispensing end,

(e) said collar portion having a peripheral first wall extending axially outwardly from the upper end of the container neck and a second wall connected to the upper 'end of said first wall extending axially outwardly and radially inwardly with respect to said first wall and terminating at its upper end in a dome portion, i

(f) v and a fracture line in said inwardly extending wall and extending substantially around the cap so that impact and pressure on said dome portion will break 7 the cap along said fracture line and move said dome portion toward said dispensing end and permit removal of the dome portion for access to the dispensing end of the container,

(g) said fracture line having circumferentially spaced portions of different outward spacing from said dome portiondefining lugs on the dome portion and collar,

, (h) said lugs being engageable after fracture for securing the dome portion on the collar portion in closing position.

2. In combination,

(a) a container having a neck with a dispensing end,

(I5) a cap on said container,

(c) said cap being of frangible material and having a collar portion in encircling relation to said neck,

(d) interengaging means on said cap collar and said container neck retaining said cap in closing relation to said dispensing end of the container. neck,

(2) said collar portion having a peripheral first wall extending axially outwardly from the upper end of the container neck and a' second wall connected to the upper end of said first wall extending axially outwardly and radially inwardly with respect to said first wall and terminating at its upper end in a dome portion,

(f) a fracture line in said inwardly extending wall and extending substantially around the cap so that impact and pressure on said dome portion will break the cap along said fracture line and move said dome portion toward said dispensing end and permit removal of the dome portion for access to the dispensing end of the container neck,

(g) said fracture line having spaced portions adjacent the dome and other portions outwardly thereof with said other portions being the shorter in length and defining spaced lugs,

(h) and inwardly extending lugs on said collar in upwardly spaced relation to the container neck and between said other portions of the fracture line and after fracture the spaced lugs on the dome portion enter the collar and engage under the lugs on said collar to removably secure the dome portion in closing position.

3. In combination,

(a) a container having a dispensing end,

(5) a cap on said container,

' (c) said cap being of frangible material and having a collar portion in encircling relation to said dispensing end, I

(:1) means on said cap collar and said dispensing end of the container retaining said cap in closing relation to said dispensing end,

(e) said collar portion having a peripheral first wall extending axially outwardly from the upper end of the container neck and a second wall connected to the first wall and extending radially inwardly with respect to said first wall in axially outwardly spaced relation to said dispensing end of said container and .said second wall terminating at its inner edge in a dome portion,

(f) a fracture line in said inwardly extending wall and extending around the cap so that impact and pressure on said dome portion will break the cap along said fracture line and move said dome portion toi (g) said fracture line having circumferentially spaced portions of different radially outward spacing from said dome portion defining lugs on the dome portion and collar, 1

(h) said lugs being engageable after fracture for securing the dome portion onthe collar portion in closing position.

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS Sofier i .June23, .1953 Leach Nov. 22, 1960 Williams Mar. 20, 1962 Bucher et al l Apr. 10, 19.62 Gach June 5, 1962 Parker Mar. 19, 1963 Y Gershen et al. July 16,. 1963 Young Mar." 17, 1964 

3. IN COMBINATION, (A) A CONTAINER HAVING A DISPENSING END, (B) A CAP ON SAID CONTAINER, (C) SAID CAP BEING OF FRANGIBLE MATERIAL AND HAVING A COLLAR PORTION IN ENCIRCLING RELATION TO SAID DISPENSING END, (D) MEANS ON SAID CAP COLLAR AND SAID DISPENSING END OF THE CONTAINER RETAINING SAID CAP IN CLOSING RELATION TO SAID DISPENSING END, (E) SAID COLLAR PORTION HAVING A PERIPHERAL FIRST WALL EXTENDING AXIALLY OUTWARDLY FORM THE UPPER END OF THE CONTAINER NECK AND A SECOND WALL CONNECTED TO THE FIRST WALL AND EXTENDING RADIALLY INWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST WALL IN AXIALLY OUTWARDLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID DISPENSING END OF SAID CONTAINER AND SAID SECOND WALL TERMINATING AT ITS INNER EDGE IN A DOME PORTION, (F) A FRACTURE LINE IN SAID INWARDLY EXTENDING WALL AND EXTENDING AROUND THE CAP SO THAT IMPACT AND PRESSURE ON SAID DOME PORTION WILL BREAK THE CAP ALONG SAID FRACTURE LINE AND MOVE SAID DOME PORTION TOWARD SAID DESPENSING END AND PERMIT REMOVAL OF THE DOME PORTION FOR ACCESS TO THE DISPENSING END OF THE CONTAINER, (G) SAID FRACTURE LINE HAVING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED PORTIONS OF DIFFERENT RADIALLY OUTWARD SPACING FROM SAID DOME PORTION DEFINING LUGS ON THE DOME PORTION AND COLLAR, (H) SAID LUGS BEING ENGAGEABLE AFTER FRACTURE FOR SECURING THE DOME PORTION ON THE COLLAR PORTION IN CLOSING POSITION. 